The COBie preparation toolkit combines several BIMcollab functionalities to help users verify the presence of required asset data in IFC files used for later structuring and reporting in compliance with the COBie V3 standard.
Download
Included resources
The toolkit includes the following BIMcollab checking resources:
IDS (Information Delivery Specifications) file – Validate asset data requirements automatically in IFC models.
Smart Properties – Map IFC data into COBie-aligned properties without modifying the IFC model.
Smart Views – Run visual checks to spot components with missing COBie data.
Lists – Extract and review COBie data using tables aligned with COBie sheets
💡 Tip: This toolkit also serves as a practical example of how BIMcollab functionalities can be configured to support robust BIM validation workflows.
Prerequisites
Before making use of the toolkit, ensure the following:
BIMcollab Zoom installed
An active BIMcollab Zoom license
Access to an active BIMcollab space for IDS property validation.
💡 Tip: You don't have access to a BIMcollabs space? Considering applying for a 30-day trial to experience BIMcollab to its full potential.
Toolkit installation
Download the COBie Preparation Toolkit using the link above.
Import the checking resources into BIMcollab Zoom. Follow the steps in the articles below for each file:
Import the IDS file into your BIMcollab project. Follow the steps in the link for further details:
(Optional) Publish imported checking resources in your BIMcollab project.
📝 Note: Publishing checking resources to a BIMcollab project is possible for team members with the right role or BIMcollab Zoom edit rights.
COBie preparation workflow
1. Validate IFC data using IDS
Start by validating your IFC model using the provided IDS ruleset. This step ensures that the IFC file contains the information required for COBie and helps identify missing or incorrectly structured data early in the process.
Import the IDS file into your BIMcollab project.
Connect to your project from BIMcollab Zoom.
Load your IFC models or retrieve them automatically from the WebViewer.
Run the IDS ruleset against your models.
Review the validation results.
Report the validation results as Smart Issues.
Share Smart issues with team members by syncing your project.
The IDS validation checks whether the required COBie information is present in the models and highlights elements that do not meet the requirements.
⚠️ Attention: The IDS ruleset provided is set based on the NBIMS-US COBie V3 IFC Schema delivery template. If custom properties are used to deliver asset information, adjust the IDS rules accordingly.
2. Structure COBie data using Smart Properties
After confirming that the required information exists in the IFC model, the data is mapped to COBie fields using Smart Properties without modifying the IFC file.
Import the Smart Properties from the toolkit in BIMcollab Zoom.
Select an asset component from the 3D view.
Look for the Smart Property set in the properties panel.
Check that COBie fields appear and values are populated.
Verify consistency across multiple elements.
Adjust the Smart Properties mapping if custom property names are used.
⚠️ Attention: The provided Smart Property sets are based on the NBIMS-US COBie V3 IFC Schema delivery template. If custom properties are used to deliver asset information, adjust Smart Properties accordingly.
3. Review mapped data using Smart Views
Use the included Smart Views to verify that the Smart Property mapping has been applied correctly and that the required COBie data is available.
Import the Smart Views sets provided in BIMcollab Zoom.
Run the imported Smart Views sets.
Review the highlighted elements and filtered results in the 3D View.
Check that the required COBie Smart Properties are present and correctly populated.
Report inconsistencies as Issues so they can be reviewed and corrected by the team members.
💡 Tip: Shared Smart Views can also be reviewed in the BIMcollab WebViewer, allowing team members to check the results without installing BIMcollab Zoom.
4. Extract and export COBie data using Lists
Open the included Lists to extract the COBie-related information from the model.
Each list represents a COBie table and displays the mapped data fields for the relevant elements. To work with a list:
Tips and limitations
The toolkit validates data presence, not the correctness of values.
COBie properties must exist in the IFC model to be detected.
Models exported from different authoring tools may store COBie data in different property sets. Smart Properties help normalize these differences, but some projects may still require custom mappings.